Roses
by awesomesen
Summary: ...'But I won't give up,' Gippal said brightly. 'I'll make you love me...' [pointless, plotless, brainless CRACK!]


_A while ago, a friend and I were being silly on AIM, discussing how the Gullwing's airship got itself built in the first place, who would have worked on it, etc. We came up with two similar, yet different scenarios as to the building of the Celsius' engine, and agreed to write them both as a joke. This story is CRACK, it should not be taken even a little bit seriously. :P_

_As an aside, "Dachi" is Buddy's name in the Japanese, "Aniki" is Brother. I just use the original names because, I dunno, I'm an elitist or something. _

_ Please enjoy. _

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roses

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Dachi and Aniki had decided to name the airship the Celsius, something that Aniki proclaimed was in no way meant to contrast the name of his father's airship. Dachi didn't honestly care, just happy to have something this cool to work on... but it was a lot of work, since when they had found the airship, it was basically just a vaguely assembled junk-heap. Rikku helped out when she could with the work, but even with three people and a generous budget, it was just too much to quickly get done. 

About two weeks in, they found that genius orphan kid, Shinra, and after that progress did pick up quite a bit, with Shinra programming machina-bots to actually do some of the labor. Aniki and Dachi (and Rikku, when she wasn't drinking fruity drinks on Besaid) just had to do the fine-tuning, not the welding and construction.

As it turned out, Rikku did more then just suntan on Besaid Island when she wasn't helping the guys with their Airship: She was also telling everyone about the Celsius. Rikku told the High Summoner, who told Cid, who told Rin, who told Nhadala... Dachi supposed, in retrospect, that he shouldn't have been surprised when Gippal showed up at the construction site one day.

Although, the roses? That was kinda unexpected.

Dachi considered for a minute, watching Gippal march solemnly towards the Celsius, a large, expensive looking bouquet of of roses swinging in one hand. It had been a while since he had last seen him... and Dachi had never really been good friends with Gippal... but he ran possibilities through his mind.

By the time Gippal was marching up the loading ramp, Dachi had climbed down from what would someday be the bridge, tossing aside his tools and wiping his forehead free of sweat. "Rikku's not here," he called, figuring that that was the only real reason Gippal would show up with roses (although Dachi truthfully hadn't known they were dating, not that Rikku exactly confided in him...).

He blinked over at Dachi, all serious and confused. "I'm not looking for her," he said. "Hey, is Aniki around?"

Dachi pointed him in the direction of the Engine Room, debated following, and decided that in the end, he'd rather not know.

* * *

Aniki was struggling to get a piece of machinery both in place and working, accomplishing this task with a joint effort of creative use of tools and even more creative insults towards the machina's sexual history. Gippal crept up beside where Aniki was crouching, an odd, wide smile on his face. Aniki noticed and stood, glaring suspiciously at his once-friend.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, squinting.

"Here," Gippal said cheerfully, thrusting the bouquet towards Aniki, "I bought these for you."

Aniki stared at the roses, then took them gingerly, like he expected them to explode. He stared down at them, cross-eyed, then back up at Gippal. "What the hell--"

"Aniki," Gippal said seriously, "I know we aren't as close as we used to be, and I want you to know that I deeply, deeply regret that. And I came here today, because..." he paused.

"Be...cause?" Aniki said, slowly, unsure he wanted to know.

"I love you," Gippal said.

Shinra, having just entered the engine room to try and help Aniki with his work, promptly spun around and left again. Aniki looked like he was waiting for the punch line, for Gippal to start pointing and laughing. Gippal just stood there, serious.

"Oh," Aniki said at last.

Gippal blanched. "But... don't you feel the same?" He stepped closer. Aniki stepped backwards. "I know it's sudden, but my feelings are just so strong--I've wanted to say it for so long. I love you, Aniki!"

Aniki opened and closed his mouth several times, fishlike. He was still holding the roses, he seemed to have broken his mind. "Oh," he said again. "That's... nice?"

"I guess you don't feel the same," Gippal sighed. "But, that's okay. I'll win you over--I'll do anything you want, okay?" he said, enthusiastic again, stepping again closer. Aniki backed up against the wall, by now freaked out.

"I'll buy you more flowers, or take you out to dinner, or, uh," Gippal looked thoughtful. "Backrubs?"

"NO!" Aniki yelled, frightened. "NO! Not that!"

"Huh," Gippal said, sighing from disappointment. He looked around, then, beaming, back at Aniki. "I know! I'll get this engine running for you, okay? Wouldn't that be a great way to prove my love for you?"

"No--uh," Aniki tried desperately to think of a solution to his problems. "Wait. Actually. Uh," he looked wildly around. "I'm... sorry. I, uh, don't... feel the same. Um."

Gippal looked crestfallen. Aniki was torn between pity and being scarred for life. "How about, um... you... want to do the engine? You can, uh, work on it if you want," Aniki said, trying to be kind. "You know, to make you feel better. But, uh, only if you promise not to... do stuff like this... again."

"Oh... okay," Gippal said, looking marginally cheerful again. Aniki sighed in relief, realizing that sometime in the last ten minutes he had broken out in a cold sweat. His heart was pounding, he had never been so frightened in his life.

"But I won't give up!" Gippal said brightly. "I'll make you love me, Aniki--"

"JUST FIX THE GODAMN ENGINE!" Aniki screeched, and ran for it.

* * *

Rikku wandered in about an hour later to find Aniki shivering in a corner of the cabin, a pile of stomped up roses beside him, and Gippal humming merrily in the engine room, elbow deep in machine oil and parts. "I think you scarred my brother for life," she said, leaning on the railing to watch him work. "Like he wasn't insane enough already."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Gippal said brightly, humming something that sounded suspiciously like a highly off-tune hymn of the fayth.

"Nhadala said you'd do anything to get your hands on our engine," Rikku continued brightly, "I just didn't know that proposing to Aniki was one of those things. Invite me to the wedding? I wanna be bridesmaid. Y'know, 'maid to the bride?' Is that you, in this case?"

"No idea what you're talking about," Gippal said cheerfully, smiling fondly at the engine, "no idea at all."

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**OWARI

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_(the original question this story attempts to answer: What lengths would Gippal have gone to to get his hands on the Celsius' engine? Mmm, Aniki/Gippal... :D)

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